WASHINGTON -- U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said the Department of Justice has formed a new taskforce to combat the growing number of domestic and international intellectual property crimes.

Deputy AG David Ogden will chair the new unit, called the Task Force on Intellectual Property. He will coordinate closely with state and local law enforcement as well as several DOJ divisions, including criminal, civil, antitrust, the Office of Legal Policy, U.S. Attorneys and the FBI, among others. .

The taskforce will also work with its overseas counterparts to pursue international organized crime; assist the White House's Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator to develop administration- wide policies and strategies regarding intellectual property issues; and develop a plan to strengthen and expand civil enforcement efforts to defend intellectual property.

IP crime has occasionally been an issue in the music and games industry, but is seldom discussed openly. Recently, knowledgeable sources inside and outside the industry have admitted that law enforcement groups have been investigating illegal copying, storage and public performance of digital music on unlicensed jukeboxes.

One of the rare instances of a public acknowledgement of this campaign was made a few years ago at an industry forum by a performing rights organization spokesman. These efforts are ongoing, but government and industry sources alike have been cautious about providing details of either the investigations or any related enforcement actions.